Following God’s Lead
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Following God’s Lead- Acts 16:6–10
Following God’s Lead- Acts 16:6–10
Every believer should take care to follow God’s will. At times, God’s will is extremely clear.
If you lose your job unexpectedly, that is the will of God. If a close member of the family passes away, it is God’s will.
If a person wears his seat belt and gets into an accident and survives, is it God’s will, or was it his use of the seat belt?
Jim Domm, a former pastor, discusses God’s providence when he writes, “God ordinarily uses means for the realization of His sovereign purposes, but He is not bound to them.”
We will see both of these in this passage, and I think we can glean a few principles to help us navigate these situations.
I. God’s lead occurs in God’s work- 16:6a
I. God’s lead occurs in God’s work- 16:6a
*We must follow the revealed will of God prior to the revealing of the individual will of God
We know the pattern that Paul practiced his work for God, as we noted in Acts 14:21–23.
What work are we expected to do?
II. God’s lead does not always mean what we think it should- 16:6b–7
II. God’s lead does not always mean what we think it should- 16:6b–7
Things don’t always work out the way we expect
Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God prohibit them from preaching the Gospel (they later would go, Acts 18:23)
Jesus did this as well- Matt. 13:10–17.
Do not fight against the will of God
How has God worked in your life in a way that you did not expect?
III. God’s lead is made clear through a variety of means- 16:8–10
III. God’s lead is made clear through a variety of means- 16:8–10
“The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in diversified manners to reveal Himself, and to declare (that) His will unto His church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now completed.”
Paul has a vision and discerns the will of God through them
Many means of revelation in the OT
God appeared to Abraham (theophany, Gen. 12:7)
God communicated through dreams and visions (Judges 7:13; our present passage in Acts)
What about today? Does God still speak through dreams, visions, etc.?
I believe Scripture teaches that, with the completion of the Canon of Scripture, God’s work of special revelation has ceased.
God gives us His Word (Psalm 119:105)
God gives us counsel (Prov. 15:22)
God gives us the Church (Acts 6)
How has God made clear His will in your life?
Be aware of falliable methods of determining/discerning God’s will (cf. 2 Cor. 11:12–15)
IV. God’s lead brings us to God’s work- 16:10
IV. God’s lead brings us to God’s work- 16:10
This a return to the beginning, showing the cyclical nature of God’s leading. We must work God’s work, and in working that work God continues to show us His way.
The ABCD’s of following God’s will:
Actively do what God has commanded.
Be mindful of God’s sovereign leading.
Check everything with the Scripture.
Do what God has commanded.
